Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-24

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Many people work long hours, leaving very little time for leisure activities.

Does this situation have more advantages or more disadvantages?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

 

Student answer (Band 7.0)

Nowadays, people are spending much more time working and forget about separating enough time for recreational activities, which leads to increased income but numerous negative effects on personal and professional life.

Initially, the major reason for increased workload is to make more money, which boosts purchasing power and makes it very easy to spend a luxurious life as people do not have to consider about their financial condition when buying anything. Secondly, it also happens for career growth. For example, some people work significantly extra hours so that they can learn the new skills and bring the capabilities to take on more responsibilities. Thus, it helps getting promotions in career.

However, working for intensive periods creates problems for individuals and their families. They have barely any leisure time which can be enjoyed with themselves or their family members. It becomes the cause of stress and tension for both the parties as they do not have time to share their thoughts with each other. Furthermore, it impacts an individual's health also. Having no time for physical activities reduces physical fitness and concentration, which adds to the decreased levels of productivity and enthusiasm. Finally, no spare time causes behavioral issues. For instance, those who do not spend time in recreational activities, can easily be victims of mood swings, which over time creates depression and anxiety. Consequently, long term health effects can be experienced by lack of leisure activities.

In conclusion, no doubt working more hours ensures a financial well-being and higher chances of career growth, however, the drawbacks are significantly greater than the benefits. It not only creates mental, physicals and behavioral issues, but also separates a person from their loved ones.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have addressed all parts of the prompt, clearly stating your position that the disadvantages outweigh the advantages. The ideas are relevant and logically grouped into paragraphs. However, the development of ideas could be more nuanced. For instance, while you mention 'career growth' and 'financial well-being' as advantages, these points are somewhat brief. The disadvantages section is more thoroughly explored, covering health, family, and behavioral aspects. To reach a higher band, ensure that the advantages are given equal weight and depth of analysis as the disadvantages, providing more specific examples or deeper reasoning for the benefits of long working hours.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

Your essay follows a clear logical progression. You use transition signals such as 'Initially', 'Secondly', 'However', and 'In conclusion' to guide the reader through your arguments. Paragraphing is used effectively, with each paragraph focusing on a central theme. While the structure is sound, some cohesive devices feel slightly mechanical. To improve, try to vary your linking words and ensure that the transition between sentences within paragraphs is smoother. For example, the connection between the health impacts and the behavioral issues could be more tightly integrated to improve the flow of your argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'purchasing power', 'financial well-being', and 'recreational activities' are used correctly. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'consider about' (should be 'consider') and 'physicals' (should be 'physical'), but these do not impede communication. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations and less common lexical items. For example, instead of 'make more money', you could use 'augment one's income' or 'enhance financial stability' to show a more academic tone.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While many sentences are error-free, there are occasional grammatical slips, such as 'helps getting promotions' (should be 'helps in getting' or 'helps one get') and 'can be experienced by lack of' (should be 'due to a lack of'). Punctuation is generally accurate, though some sentences could be refined for better clarity. You have good control over basic structures, but to achieve a higher score, aim for a wider variety of complex grammatical forms, such as conditional sentences or passive constructions, while ensuring they remain error-free.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.